Tibe cover



H4 HARTEL/ June 1, 1937.

TIRE COVER Original Filed June 20, 1929 Reissuecl June 1, 1937 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE TIRE COVER Original No. 1,991,207, dated February12, 1935, Serial No. 372,283, June 20, 1929. Application for reissueJune 5, 1935, Serial No. 26,802

21 Claims.

Myinvention relates to tire covers.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a .cover of thenon-flexible type for encasing the spare .tires .of motor vehicles,which is characterizedby ease of handling, bothin application to and inremoving from a tire, and .in which securingmeansare arranged to providefor a close, non-rattling fit'of the cover on the tire.

.A further object is to provide a cover of the character described whichpresents an attractive appearance, simple .in construction, and in whichthe securing means .are wholly concealed when the cover is in position.

My invention .is intended as asubstitute for the flexible cover now incommon use as a procuring the cover to the tire. For purpose of illustration, a cover will bedescribedwhichis shaped for attachment to atirecarried in a well on the running board or fender of a vehicle, but itwill be .understood that the application of the invention is not solimited, for it maybe also utilized for =tires carried in otherlocations.

These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in thefollowing specification, reference being had to "the accompanyingdrawing,

andvthemovel means by whichsaid objects are =efi'ectuated .will bedefinitely pointed out in the claims.

:In the'drawing:

Figure l is a rear elevation of-my improved tire :,cover, being viewedfrom the tire side of the cover;

:Figure --2:is-a section along line 22 in Fig. 1, showing the relationof thecoverto a tire when mounted thereon;

:E'igure 3 is-aiperspectiveview of one end of the"bracket'which-supports the attaching strap;

:Figure'sis a view similar to'Fig. 3,-but showing the relation of theattaching strap'tothe'bracket when 1 in :position.

'lIhe-snumeral Ill designates a casing which ispreferablyiformed'of-metalor. of any non-flexible .materialzand .whichisarranged as at I I to con.- *form -to'the circumferential shape of thetire, as :at I? to conform to the transverse tread profile-generally'oi'ithetire, and-as at 13 toconform to the running board orfenderof the vehicle. The precise-shapaor'the manner of forming the tirecasing, forms no part of my invention, the particular shapein'dicated inFig. :1 being merely 55 representativeof any operatingenvironment.

Arranged around the inner peripheral surface of the casing I0 is aplurality of strap brackets I4, each of which is in the form of a stripwhich is symmetrically positioned transversely with respect to thecenter line .of the tire tread and secured at the mid-portion thereof,as at IE, to 7 treme end of the strip is offset as at l8 out of theplane of the arm 16. A suitable strap I9 is looped through theopeningsI11 across each strip for the purpose of encircling the tire section andeffectively securing the casing in position.

The flexible nature of the strip-s14, which renders themconformable tothe tread profile of the tire when subjected to the bindingaction of thestrap l9, andalso the fact that each strap is carried by itscorresponding strip 14 at points displaced on opposite sides-of the tiretread provides fora very close, non-rattling fit-of the cover on thetire. This principal objection to tire covers of this character isaccordingly avoided. It .will be observed that, owing to the offsetportion 18 in each strip M, the strap l9 in being looped .across saidstrips is not subjected to any sharp "bend-or the cutting eifect ofsharp edges of the .strips, a factor which will greatly lengthen thelife of the strap. Further, the arrangement of =the strips 14 and thestrap 19 within the casing I0 .is-such that these elements arecompletely concealed with manifest advantages from the standpoint ofappearance.

While I have shown one set of elements and combinations thereof forefi'ectuating my .im proved tire cover, it will be understood thatthesame is intended forpurpose of illustration only and in nowise torestrict my device to the exact .form and structures shown, for manychanges maybe made therein without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

1. A tire cover comprising a single covering unit adapted to be appliedto and removed from a tire as a whole and to cover the tread of thetire, means for securing the unit upon the tire and including flexiblemetallic strip members secured to saidunit and-adjustably conformable tothe transverse tread profile of the tire, and means supported therebyandattachable to the tire to conform the strip members to the tire treadprofile.

2. In a tire cover, the combination of a singleunit casing, meanssecured to the inner peripheral surface thereof, and extending across incontact with and conforming to the transverse tread profile of the tireto seat the cover upon the tire, and strap members secured to the endsof said means to conform the latter to the tire for attachment of thecover to a tire.

' 3. In a tire cover, the combination of a singleunit casing, flexiblestrips secured at their midportions to the inner peripheral surface ofsaid casing and extending along and conforming to the transverse treadcurvature of the tire, said strip having openings at the ends thereof,and strap members secured to said strips through said openings forattachment to a tire.

4. In a tire cover, the combination of a singleunit casing, stripssecured at their mid-portions to the inner peripheral surface of saidcasing and including openings at the ends thereof, and strap memberslooped through said openings across said strips for attachment to atire.

5. In a tire cover, the combination of a casing, flexible strips securedat their mid-portions to the inner peripheral surface of said casing andincluding openings at the ends thereof, and strap members looped throughsaid openings across said strips for attachment to a tire.

6. A tire cover comprising a single-unit cas ing adapted to be appliedto and removed from the tire as a whole, means for securing the casingupon the tire including flexible members for supporting means attachableto a tire, said members being secured at their mid-portions to saidcasing to provide movable end portions disposed on opposite sides of thecenter line of the tire tread, and means supported by said end portionsarranged for attachment to the tire.

7. In a tire cover, the combination of a casing, strips secured at theirmid-portions to the inner peripheral surface of said casing andincluding openings at the ends thereof, the portion of each of saidstrips between said openings and the ends thereof being offset out ofthe plane of said strips, and strap members looped through said openingsacross said strips for attachment to a car.

8. In a tire cover, a single-unit body portion shaped to the transverseand circumferential curvature of the tire and adapted to cover the treadand front face portions of the tire, and means for securing andadjustably seating the cover upon the tire comprising an attachmentmember extending transversely of the tire tread and connected to theunderside of the tread portion of said body and concealed thereby, andflexible means secured to said member and detachably engageable with thetire.

9. In a single-unit metal tire cover, a body having integrally-joinedside-wall-covering and tread-covering parts, flexible fastening elementextending transversely of the tire tread and secured to the underside ofsaid tread-covering part of said body where it is concealed when thecover is upon the tire, and a flexible member sul ported by the ends ofsaid element and passing along the tread part of the tire under thecover and engageable with the side portion of the tire opposite saidside-wall-covering part of the cover to secure the cover upon the tire,providing a plain unobstructed outer surface conforming throughout tothe general shape of the covered portions of the tire.

10. In a single-unit metal tire cover, a covering body of Llike-shape incross section to approximate the general shape of one face and the treadportion of the tire, a flexible, straplike metallic fastening membersecured to and concealed by the underside of said body above the treadportion of the tire, said member being adapted to conform to the shapeof and to seat upon the tire, a flexible securing element detachablyconnected to said member and extending rearwardly over and detachablyengaging the face of the tire opposite the face-covering portion of saidbody whereby said fastening member is caused to conform to the shape ofthe tire and the cover is adjustably secured to the tire with its outersurface unobstructed.

11. In combination with means attachable to a spare tire for supportinga cover thereon, a? tire cover comprising a single-unit casing adaptedto be applied to and removed from the tire as a whole, means forsecuring the cover upon the tire, said means having provision forcarrying the attachable means at points arranged on opposite sides ofthe tire tread when the cover is in proper tire protecting position,said second means being yieldable whereby to enable the cover to beadjustably mounted upon the tire 12. A tire cover comprising aform-retaining arcuate body shaped to cover a side wall and tread of atire, and means for adjust-ably supporting said body in spaced relationto and about the tread, said means comprising tread engaging springssecured to circumferentially spaced portions of the tread covering partof said cover to enable the cover to accommodate tires of differentsizes, said springs being so arranged as to exert pressure during suchengagement to thereby adjust the cover on the tire, and means connectedto said springs and cooperating therewith to wrap about the tire andthereby positively secure the cover to the tire.

13. In a tire cover, the combination with a circular casing for coveringthe outer side of a tire, and including a portion projecting over thetread of the tire, of transverse clamping members disposed on theinterior of said casing and spaced;

circumferentially about the inner periphery of said casing, each of saidclamping members extending transversely so as to fit over and engageonly front and rear zones of the tire tread.

14. A tire cover comprising a main rigid covermember for covering theface of the tire and spaced clamping means carried thereby, saidclamping means being of such length and shape relative to the tread ofthe tire so as to engage the tire at transversely spaced points on theperiphery thereof.

15. A tire cover comprising a main rigid cover member for covering theface of the tire and spaced clamping means carried thereby, eachclamping means engaging the tire at transversely spaced points on theperiphery thereof, each clamping means being resilient to adapt itselfto different sizes of tires.

16. A tire cover comprising an integral substantially rigid memberannular in shape and; arcuate in cross-section for covering the face andat least a portion of the periphery of the tire, and means movablycarried by said member and movable transversely of and engaging the tireat two distinct and spaced points for holding said member in position. a

17. A tire cover comprising an integral substantially rigid memberannular in shape and arcuate in cross-section for covering the face ofthe tire, and means fixedly carried by said memher and movable about apoint for engaging the tire at two points for holding said member inposition, said point being parallel to the plane of the cover.

13. A tire cover comprising a metallic main cover member for coveringthe face of the tire, and clamping means movably carried by said cover,said clampingmeans being resilient and adapted to engage the tire at aplurality of points.

19. A tire cover comprising a metallic main cover member for coveringthe face of the tire, and clamping means movable relative to and carriedby and having a portionv extending within said cover, each clampingmeans being resilient and adapted to engage the tire at a plurality ofpoints, and an extension cover complementally engaging the said maincover for substantially concealing said clamping means 20. In a tirecover, a single unit casing adapted to be applied to and removed fromthe tire as a whole,and having carried thereby and internally thereof aplurality of circumferentially spaced clamping members, each beingadapted to extend transversely over the tread and to engage only spacedzones of the tire tread! on opposite sides of the median plane of thetire.

21. In a tire cover, a single unit casing adapted to be applied to andremoved from the tire as a whole, and having carried thereby andinternally thereof a plurality of circumferentially spaced clampingmembers, each being adapted to extend transversely over the tread and toengage only spaced zones of the tire tread on opposite sides of themedian plane of the tire, said members each being resilient so asyieldably to engage the tire tread.

HERMAN HARTEL.

